Battle of Pakchon

The Battle of Pakchon (5 November 1950) was a battle of the Korean War that was fought between the British-Australian British 27th Infantry Brigade (with American armor and artillery in support) and the Chinese 117th Division. During the night of 4-5 November 1950, the Chinese and North Koreans mounted a full-scale assault on the United Nations forces along the Yalu River, driving back the US forces. The Chinese threatened to encircle the British and Australian troops by cutting the Pakchon-Sinanju road, so the UN forces counterattacked against the Chinese and captured a ridgeline. The Chinese proceeded to recapture the high ground, but the UN forces again retook the hill and defended it from several Chinese attacks. The fighting was costly for both sides, but the British and Australian forces kept open vital withdrawal routes for the UN and secured their left flank by holding back a Chinese breakthrough attempt. The battle contributed to the partial defeat of the first Chinese offensive, but Peng Dehuai's "Second Phase Offensive" of late November would rout the UN forces from North Korea.